Friday’s legislative work short, not so sweet

DES MOINES - Skeleton crews of lawmakers gaveled empty House and Senate chambers into brief sessions Friday as school children taking Statehouse tours witnessed the snail-paced Legislature in action.

The 117th calendar day of the 2011 session passed uneventfully with three senators on hand for a minute's worth of floor work, while two GOP representatives held a 10-minute session that included a prayer, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and passing resolutions dealing with the federal reserve and federal air quality regulation that both passed by 2-0 margins.

House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer, R-Garner, said work has stalled while legislative Republicans and Gov. Terry Branstad await a Democratic response to their decision to set a fiscal 2012 spending ceiling at $6 billion. She said that represented a $100 million concession by House Republicans and it now falls to legislative Democrats to counter with how they want to allocate that extra $100 million in next year's state budget.

“I think that's the next step,” she said.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal, D-Council Bluffs, said the next joint discussion among top leaders was slated to take place on Monday.

“There are a lot of people taking what we believe to be untenable positions,” he said.

“I'm going to keep working until I figure out a way to accomplish a budget that makes sense for Iowans and paves the way for a better future for our state. I'm going to keep working toward that goal,” Gronstal said. “I think the other side is as well and we have significant differences in what that path is.”

Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, the only minority-party legislator in attendance during Friday's brief session, said the slow pace is frustrating but it was good that citizen legislators not directly involved in the budget negotiations were able to attend to their work back home – especially farmers who are pressed to get crops planted given the slow pace of field work this spring.

“I feel confident that we will be able to get out of here but it's frustrating,” he said. “Hopefully, we ought to be able to get something done in the next couple weeks is my guess.”

Rep. Dawn Pettengill, R-Mount Auburn, who served as presiding officer of the House on Friday, said she has delayed a surgical procedure since February until after the session adjourns but she remains in limbo due to the stalled budget talks.

“I'm hoping we can all come to agreement quickly,” she said, but added “I'm not the one in charge. That's a couple pay grades above me.”

Friday was a busy day of touring by school children making field trips to the state Capitol. A number of young people assembled at the back of both chambers to watch the abbreviated floor action.